Forum Topic

Cyclists allowed to ignore red lights?

Just wondering what peoples view are on cyclists being allowed to turn left at red lights to allow them to get ahead of lorries.  First of all I am not a cyclist, but obviously a pedestrian and have posted before on the number of times I have seen cyclists totally ignore red lights on pedestrian crossings.  So what happens if a lorry pulls up beside a cyclist but in order for the cyclist to turn left ahead of the lorry they have to go across a pedestrian crossing that has the green man lit to allow people to cross?

Carol Burge ● 5916d3 Comments

Well my view is a red light means stop........regardless!  The only things that should be allowed to ignore these are the emergency vehicles when they have their lights and sirens going.  And anyway I thought at most traffic lights there was the green box area that cyclists were allowed to go into ahead of the traffic, could this not be extended back more?  Surely it would help if more motorists took notice of this and did not stop, or edge their way forward into this area!  It really bugs me when I am behind a car at traffic lights and when they think the lights are going to change to green they start edging forward, even though the lights are still red. 

Carol Burge ● 5896d

As someone who is partially sighted and depends a lot on the sight of the green man and the sound of the go-ahead bleeps, I would really rather they didn't allow red light jumping.  It's Ok at say the junction of Bath Road and Emlyn Road, to pick a lightly used junction (from a pedestrian point of view), but would be very difficult at a busier one like the junction of Shepherd's Bush Road and Hammermsith Broadway.

Dan Filson ● 5897d

The kind of cyclist who would ride without due care at a pedestrian crossing is the kind that is already running red lights so I don't think the change would add to pedestrian risk. The scheme is worth trying although I think by encouraging cyclists to undertake traffic at junctions it may not reduce fatalities.

Ellen Kearney ● 5900d